Personality Diagram Explanation

Myers-Briggs Type Indicator® and Enneagram Correlation Diagrams represent how the two parts of personality interact. The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator® (MBTI) system of personality typing provides a profile of the Core Self. In the following two examples, the Core Self is ISTJ and ENFP. The Enneagram system provides a profile of the Defense System. In these two examples, the Enneagram Defense is One. Each type in each system has a distinct set of characteristics or traits. Sometimes these traits are compatible and reinforce each other such as the ISTJ and the Enneagram One (ISTJ-1 diagram). Sometimes they are oppositional, causing a sense of having a continual internal war, such as the ENFP and Enneagram One(ENFP-1 diagram). The two circles in each diagram represent the two parts of personality: Core Self (MBTI®) and Defense System (Enneagram). The degree of overlap of the two circles indicates how compatible or oppositional the two parts of personality are.

Appearing on the top and bottom of the diagram are the lists of corresponding compatible traits. These traits are present in both the Core Self and the Defense System of the personality and reinforce each other. This makes the expression of these traits “exponential” and very marked in the individual. It also precludes much flexibility in the areas of the compatible traits because the individual does not have much experience living any other way. An individual with corresponding traits may not understand or have much patience with someone with a trait opposite theirs. These become the “non-negotiables”. In the example of the ISTJ-1, the ISTJ embodies the characteristic of “accuracy” and the One has the characteristic of “perfectionism”. This person would find it challenging to tolerate a person who is lackadaisical, half-hearted or apathetic.

The lists of corresponding oppositional traits appear at the left and right. These traits are in diametric opposition to each other. When control is located in the Core Self, one trait is evident. When control shifts to the Defense System, the opposite trait appears. In the example of the ENFP-1, when this person is grounded and living out of the Core Self of the ENFP, a light-hearted, adventurous, child-like soul is exhibited. When under stress, a demanding, controlling, critical and rigid defense system is operational. This type of radical internal contradiction is often confusing for the individual causing, at the least, self-doubt and consternation. It is also difficult for the people in relationship to this person as one never knows if Dr. Jekyll or Mr. Hyde will show up. However, with oppositional traits such as “Can be inconsistent” and “Consistent”, an ENFP-1 can understand people coming from either perspective because the ENFP-1 embodies them both.

Traits which neither reinforce nor oppose are called “neutral” and are not included in the diagram. If both the compatible and oppositional lists are short on the diagram, it indicates a great many neutral traits which will cause the individual to feel as if there are two distinctly different personalities living within one body, neither seeming to recognize the other.

The full set of type correlations, consisting of 144 diagrams, descriptions of the 16 MBTI® types and 9 Enneagram types are available for $225. Contact Pat Wyman at patwyman@earthlink.net.